Our consumper expert wins a reader £150 in compensation from Halifax after a
number of blunders by the bank caused distress to a customer

I am having a nightmare with Halifax over the handling of my mum's affairs since my dad's death nearly a year ago. Somehow, before my dad passed away aged 87, a personal loan and mortgage were taken out by my parents and secured against their bungalow.

Despite notifying the bank of my dad's death and taking in my power of attorney and death certificate the day after he died, they have constantly written to him and my mum demanding payments and threatening to visit the property. I went to the ombudsman who upheld my complaint. A sum of £400 was offered. The distress this has caused my mum, who is 85 and has early signs of dementia, is immense. It was all supposed to be sorted but this weekend two letters have come, one to mum and one to dad. My mum is upset, thinking she is going to lose her home and Halifax doesn't care.

PT, Warwickshire

I am told that Halifax had already re-credited three arrears fees of £35 each to the mortgage account. Following this, the account was still in arrears to the tune of £262.

An arrangement had been made, before this time, for the payments to be reduced to £40 a month - but I am told this was not adhered to. Halifax had offered £300 for the inconvenience. You took the matter to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and it ruled that you should have £400. This you accepted and signed for.

After that, though, another inappropriate item of correspondence was sent to your mother's address. I spoke to the bank and a further £150 was sent in respect of this. Presumably this extra money could help meet the next few months' payments.